posted on September 17, 2001 06:00:40 PM new
This letter was emailed to me from Paypal Damon with the request I post it on his behalf - as he is out of the office due to
the events of September 11th.
Meg Whitman
CEO
Ebay, Inc.
September 17, 2001
Dear Meg,
Congratulations on “Auction for America” – it looks like it could be a great way to help the victims of Tuesday’s terrible
tragedies.
Why don’t we make this opportunity available to as many members of the eBay community as possible? It appears you are
currently limiting participation in “Auction for America” to users of the Billpoint payment service. As you know, less than
30% of eBay auctions accept Billpoint, while over 70% accept PayPal. As many of our mutual customers have asked us
today, why not allow PayPal-preferring members of the eBay community to help the cause, as well?
We can easily collect all PayPal payments received for “Auction for America” purchases and guarantee their contribution to
the “September 11th Fund.” We will, of course, waive all transaction fees for these payments, ensuring that 100% of the
payments are donated to the fund.
As we can attest after witnessing the amount of money PayPal members have donated to the American Red Cross through
our website, the online auction and payments communities are extremely generous and interested in helping victims’ families.
I applaud your interest in helping members of the eBay community assist these families, and look forward to working with
you to ensure the broadest level of participation in “Auction for America” and its highest success. Please let me know as
soon as possible if you will allow PayPal-accepting sellers to help out, as many have contacted us already.
Best regards,
Peter Thiel
CEO
PayPal, Inc.
[ edited by katiyana on Sep 17, 2001 06:03 PM ]
posted on September 17, 2001 06:37:24 PM new
i always think fighting with billpoint over ebay auction payments is like fighting with the boss's son for the next promotion.
but recently i cant help having admiration for paypal,yes,paypal has made blunders,paypal sent out horrible emails about children food and starving etc,but paypal just keeps on trucking,thats persistance,stamina and determination.
not to mention looking to reap that return on investment-remember all that 10 and 5 we received from them??
we are the cyber entrepreurs and so is paypal,making it possible for us to conduct business in cyberspace while physically we never have to leave our living room.
if sam walton is alive today,he would be proud of us,including paypal,what do you guys think??
posted on September 17, 2001 06:42:01 PM new
I am very sad this evening. I had a rare phone call from eBay earlier today. Now, I know very few sellers receive calls from eBay at all but I have often felt left out here, and since we do throw a tremendous amount of money and business their way I always think it'd be nice to hear from them more often.
As many of the AW readers know, last week we hit 50,000 unique feedbacks at eBay (thanks, BTW, to the nice people who kept up with us here on AW, I was watching as well but had nothing to add to the thread you started). We had scheduled a nice dinner in anticipation of this event. I sent a brief note to Meg at eBay and received a nice congratulatory message and promise to send someone down to celebrate with my family and staff. We then received word that two members of the eBay San Jose staff would be coming down to Los Angeles to join us, and we were thrilled.
Needless to say, the misery in New York happened immediately thereafter, and our plans and enthusiasm disappeared.
Anyway, we had a phone call today from one of the two young men who had been planning to come down. They are still willing to come, and we are still excited to have them. They then asked for my participation in the Auction For America program, and I promised it. Jay and I organized some appropriate high-dollar items this afternoon to contribute to the sale.
Now I see they will only accept Billpoint for this special program. I do not take Billpoint, and I have no plans to take Billpoint. I do take and enjoy Paypal.
Tomorrow I must call this nice young man back and tell him we cannot participate in eBay's program. I am not looking forward to that call. We try so very hard here to make headway with eBay for ourselves and the sellers' community in general that it is a shame when eBay gums up a really nice idea with a really cruel twist.
posted on September 17, 2001 06:56:10 PM new
I was kind of excited about the idea untill I saw billpoint only
I to take paypal and have no intrest in signing up for billpoint
lets hope meg takes peter up on his offer and opens it up to paypall customers also
if not then the whole thing is a shamefull scam to get more peaple signed up for billpoint
spock here......
posted on September 17, 2001 07:00:22 PM new
eBay made an offer.
Now, PayPal wants to pick a public fight? Why not a PRIVATE CEO to CEO letter?
(Assuming this is really a PayPal letter - who can tell for sure? No offense, but I don't know the poster.)
What a disgusting little catfight to have at a time like this. I'd recommend editing the letter out of the beginning of the thread, and asking the mods to lock it up.
posted on September 17, 2001 07:10:39 PM new
eBay wants to ride in as the knight in shining armor (on the backs of its sellers), and now, PayPal wants to climb aboard too?
posted on September 17, 2001 07:17:51 PM new
Not being PayPal's biggest fan lately, I feel a bit strange defending them but they DID have a way up very quickly to allow people to donate using PayPal to the Red Cross. A WHOLE lot faster than ebay reacted.
Let's give PayPal it's due in moving quickly to help in the face of the tragedy. I've noticed on CNN, MSNBC & several of the news channels that PayPal, along with Amazon are listed as ways to pay on-line.
This evening's news report was the first I heard ebay's name mentioned as doing anything of a fund raising effort on behalf of the victims.
posted on September 17, 2001 07:30:08 PM new
I took a look at the program tonight and was somewhat put off by the fact that the seller pays the shipping fees but I can get past that. Now my biggest concern is that I will be reponsible for any chargebacks that may result from Billpoints habit of passing along bad addresses to sellers.
posted on September 17, 2001 07:38:28 PM new
I checked..PayPal had the ability to donate to the Red Cross using PayPal up & running on the morning of 9/12. That's moving pretty quickly and gives them an A+ in my book.
posted on September 17, 2001 07:48:53 PM new
Grateful - no offense taken. I have no way of proving the existance of this letter, only can provide the email that Damon sent me earlier this evening:
"Hi,
I am currently out of the office (as you know)---my passwords for posting are at work, but I would like to have this letter to eBay posted on AuctionWatch and eBay Can you take care of it for me?Below is the letter drafted directly to Meg Whitman.
Warmest regards,
Damon "
Knowing what a difficult time Damon is having after losing his best friend (as those of you who have read his message about being out of the office) - I was honored to assist him. I cannot say how/when this letter was delivered to Meg because Damon didn't provide that information - but I believe he wanted the content of the letter made available to the auction community.
If you choose not to believe the existance of the letter, I know nothing I say would change your mind - I am only a messenger assisting Damon. But I think he'll appreciate the positive comments about Paypal's quick response to requests to collect funds for charity - I know I was proud to see both Amazon.com and Paypal.com scrolling across TV screens this weekend providing contribution methods to people wanting to help.
posted on September 17, 2001 08:08:33 PM new
I'm grateful for the sincere efforts made by eBay and Paypal. I also notice a degree of showmanship. I hate to say this but they seem quick to give away our money and make a big show of it.
I wonder how much Meg, Pierre and Peter donated of their own funds. Sounds rude, doesn't it? This month I was late paying my rent. I wound up with about $75 between my checking and VISA. But I still managed to send my usual contribution to CCF.
eBay and Paypal's oneupmanship doesn't impress me.
posted on September 17, 2001 08:42:26 PM newI wonder how much Meg, Pierre and Peter donated of their own funds. Sounds rude, doesn't it?
Actually, yes it does. Donate = to make a gift of. Since when is donating a requirement or how we judge people?
Last week, one news agency noted that Bill Gates had immediately given $10 million to the relief fund. Another commentator responded, rather snidely, that, well, HE could afford it easily.
Yes, he could. So what? He didn't HAVE to make the donation at all if he so chose not to.
posted on September 17, 2001 09:09:37 PM newActually, yes it does. Donate = to make a gift of. Since when is donating a requirement or how we judge people?
It really shouldn't be. BUT Meg is pushing this idea... And you lead by example.
posted on September 17, 2001 09:23:49 PM new
those who worked for big corporations will be taken care of as they have very good health and life ,accidental life policies.
it is the little guys who work in food court,small shops who cannot afford to insure thier business who are hurting
posted on September 17, 2001 09:25:39 PM new
twinsoft,
what is CCF?
between cheking and visa ,you have 75 dollars.
i dont know visa is a savings or checking account??
posted on September 17, 2001 09:35:57 PM new
Now that GOD and COUNTRY are once again fashionable can we expect the likes of the dispicable BillPoint [AKA WELLS FARGO] to reinstate their funding for the boy scouts??
As an aside how many Eagle Scouts are also Congressional Medal of Honor recipients versus BP employees??
Inquiring minds want to know.
God bless America and those that choose to defend it.
posted on September 17, 2001 10:05:56 PM new
If the TRUE intention is to raise funds for the victims then you just gotta do the math:
30% eBay users use Billpoint + 70% eBay users use PayPal, 30%+70%=%100. No one is naive enough to think this also doubles as a way for them to get more Billpoint members does it? Why not make it available and easy for all 100% of the users to help/donate? Looks rather simple doesn't it?
posted on September 17, 2001 10:37:07 PM newActually, yes it does. Donate = to make a gift of. Since when is donating a requirement or how we judge people?
Yes, Eventer. That's really my point. eBay is making a big show of encouraging their customers to donate. A much simpler method would have been for eBay to send their own final value fees to the Red Cross. The method they chose seems more like grandstanding than charity. Paypal's open letter to eBay reeks of opportunism. They give a little, and use it for publicity. My own sense is that they are milking this tragedy for all they can get.
posted on September 17, 2001 11:06:47 PM new
Well I won't Participate cause it is through the united way.
I won't participate cause it is the red cross.
I won't participate cause I have to pay shipping.
I won't participate cause they will not take PayPal
I won't participate cause they are making it Billpoint only.
I won't participate cause Meg and that other fellow have not donated.
I won't participate cause they don't give to the boy scouts.
I won't participate cause this is just a promotion for eBay.
Go back and read some of your messages here and in other threads. I am glad you are hear complaining about something instead of being out in the world getting is someone's way.
I am glad you all will not participate cause you would be stinking it up for the rest of the people that do.
posted on September 17, 2001 11:19:51 PM new
eBay is the the undisputed king of the online auction world with it's huge market share and it's affiliate 1/2.com has also 50 million fixed price items offered on it's site. The aggressive expansion into real estate and automobiles sales continues. The 30% market share of the online payment market will grow and grow by the various devious means that eBay employs. Then the day will come when the online payment market will look just like the software operating system monoploy that MS currently has but the monopoly will be Bilkpoint and not PayPal. It's sad to see the tough guy bully always win.
posted on September 17, 2001 11:47:29 PM new
I think that many of you missed the point RE: PayPal & BillPoint. Peter made a valid reason for using PayPal i.e. 70 per cent of Ebay sellers use PayPal. I have for about a year & have never had a bit of trouble. I won't use Billpoint, they charge too much & won't cover any backcharges. Maybe there is some oneupmanship involved, but when you get down to the bottom line, wouldn't more $$$ be collected if both were being used??
[ edited by sanmar on Sep 17, 2001 11:50 PM ]
posted on September 18, 2001 03:02:22 AM new
I don't give a damn if Meg or Pierre or even Michael Jackson are donating to the relief efforts. I would like to hope they will help out (and I know in Jacko's case, he is organizing something along the lines of "We Are the World", because every little bit will help.
My only concern is whether or not I make an effort to fulfill what I see as my own civic responsibility to help out others in a time of trouble as much as I can.
posted on September 18, 2001 05:04:17 AM new
Isn't there some way to bring religion into it also so they can stand in front and argue about who is holier?
posted on September 18, 2001 05:42:37 AM new
Congratulations eBay for using this unspeakable horror to promote your on-line payments. I am as disgusted as
can be imagined. What a great idea completely sullied by greed and naked self-interest. I was slighly embarrassed at wanting to participate, questioning my own motives as a seller who would gain an advantage by having auctions run under the program. Having realized this morning that they will only use their payment system, I have decided the most "clean" way to help is by making a direct, anonymous donation to the relief effort. I hope eBay's strong-arm tactics for promoting Billpoint on the suffering of others make the news. There is no earthly reason why eBay could not collect all payments in the form of cash, money orders and competing on-line payment systems.
